Multi chamber filled construction panel

ABSTRACT

A Multi Chamber gas filled building panel is structured of essentially planar parallel inner ( 1 ) and outer ( 2 ) plates. Between the inner ( 1 ) and outer ( 2 ) plates, preferably of glass, there is at least one chamber ( 3 ) filled with insulation gas, the chambers (in case of plurality thereof) divided between themselves using dividers ( 4 ) usually manufactured of transparent polymer foils. The building panel according to this invention in addition features at least one air-filled chamber ( 5 ) which is connected to surrounding air via opening ( 6 ) enabling inner volumetric expansion and contraction of insulation gas.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a §371 National Phase Application of PCT/SI2012/000005, filed on Feb. 3, 2012, which in turn claims priority from Slovenian Patent Application P-201100244 filed Jul. 4, 2011, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The subject matter of the present invention is related to that in earlier filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/393,239, filed Feb. 29, 2019, and naming the same inventors as in the present application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to technical solutions in the area of transparent or translucent heat insulation based on principle of a multi chamber gas-filled panel (GFP), which is used for general use, in particular in civil engineering, and even more in particular in prefabricated building envelopes or integrated facades.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem to be solved by this invention is the problem due to significant buckling in or out of outer or inner covering panels during contraction or expansion (hereinafter both processes denoted as “dynamics”) of insulation gas used in gas-filled and optionally transparent or translucent building panels while at the same time addressing lack of sealing of insulation gas.

With demise of fossil fuel availability, our civilization is facing new ways to conserve use of remaining energy sources. One possible solution is reduction of energy use for heating, cooling and erection of buildings. Thermal insulation of buildings is important in achieving reduction of energy use. Having need for effective thermal insulation corresponds to the need for insulation systems with low thermal conductivity. These systems use composite panels, which use (for their insulation core) gas filled panels (GFP). Thick gas filled panels may result in buckling in or out of covering panels during extreme temperatures, which may cause problems for mechanical or esthetic function of the panel.

Published PCT WO2011031242, filed as U.S. application Ser. No. 13/393,239, filed Feb. 29, 2019, and naming the same inventors as in the present application, discloses solving the problem of dynamics of insulation gas in multi chamber gas filled panel by providing expansion air chamber, said chamber formed between panel and gas-tight foil which is positioned in concave position during manufacturing. Unfortunately gas-impermeable foils are usually metal and hence not translucent. Otherwise the problem of gas dynamics is solved by allowing of buckling of outer panels plates or by installation of plurality of small gas filled pockets (cushions), which are locally surrounded by air as air allows for dynamics of filled gas. The latter solution is not usable for translucent panels as thin polymer foils do not contain gases for prolonged time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A Multi Chamber gas filled building panel is structured of essentially planar parallel inner (1) and outer (2) plates. Between the inner (1) and outer (2) plates, preferably of glass, there is at least one chamber (3) filled with insulation gas, said chambers (in case of plurality thereof) divided between themselves using dividers (4) usually manufactured of transparent polymer foils. The building panel according to this invention in addition features at least one air-filled chamber (5) which is connected to surrounding air via opening (6) enabling inner volumetric expansion and contraction of insulation gas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing inner plate (1), outer plate (2), insulation gas filled chamber (3), polymer foil (4), air-filled chamber (5), opening (6), divider (7), and spacer (8).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The multi-chamber gas-filled building panel solves the above referenced technical problem by construction of building panel comprising essentially of planar parallel inner (1) and outer (2) plates (FIG. 1), typically manufactured from tempered float glass.

FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing inner plate (1), outer plate (2), insulation gas filled chamber (3), polymer foil (4), air-filled chamber (5), opening (6), divider (7), and spacer (8).

The plates preferably of glass (1) and (2) are usually approximately 6 to 8 mm thick monolithic or thicker, while the glass is either etched glass or composite etched or fully transparent glass. For purposes of this application the composite glass refers to laminated safety glass, fire proof and/or insulation glass (IGU) or some other solution known in state of the art achieving same or similar purpose. Between the plates preferably of glass (1) and (2) there is at least one gas tight chamber (3) filled with insulation gas or insulation gas mixture, said chambers (in case of plurality thereof) divided between themselves using dividers (4) usually manufactured of transparent polymer foils or thin glass. These polymer foils may be commercially available polyester foils whereby the best results were achieved using foils around 0.1 mm in thickness, this in no way limiting this invention and used as an example only. The polymer foils or thin glass (4) may have one sided or both sided low emission coating.

The building panel according to this invention in addition features at least one air filled chamber (5) which is connected to surrounding air via opening (6) or plurality thereof for air pressure equalization in order to enable inner volumetric expansion and contraction of insulation gas as shown FIG. 1. The air-filled chamber has on one or both sides a gas-impermeable divider (7). Said gas-impermeable divider (7) is usually comprised of a float glass preferably thick from 2 to 6 mm, more preferably around 4 mm thick, preferably tempered. Air and gas filled chambers are separated one from another and attached with spacers (8) which may be usual spacers from insulation glass technology. Gas-impermeable divider (7) may also have a low emission coating. The gas-impermeable dividers (7) are in one embodiment approximately 50% thinner than inner (1) or outer (2) plate in order to ensure expansion or contraction of gas-filled chamber (5) due to expansion or contraction of insulation gas in chambers (3) according to FIG. 1.

The inner and outer plates (1) and (2) may therefore remain approximately flat during summer and winter, which is purpose of this invention. Between the spacers, foils and glasses there are appropriate sealants or adhesives, around whole panel there is sealing-adhesive mass which is in this embodiment polysulphide based. For adhesive or sealants one may use those known in manufacturing and assembly of insulation glasses or windows. One or more openings (6) are also drilled through the sealing-adhesive mass. The one ore more openings (6) may be additionally connected to surrounding air by means of appropriate tubes. The air filled chamber should have volume at least approximately 10% of total volume of gas filled chambers (3). The insulation gas in chambers (3) may be usual insulation gas or mixture used in insulation glass technology (IGU) such as Argon, Krypton, Carbon dioxide, and the like.

The panel of dimensions height 2620 mm and width 1080 mm (FIG. 1) is comprised with outer plate (2) of 8 mm tempered glass. Three foils (4) are HM88 from of manufacturer Southwall Technologies (SOUTHWALL TECHNOLOGIES, 2788 Fabian Way, Pal Alto, Calif. 94303. Five spacers (8) Chromatech Plus of stainless steel of nominal width 20 mm are manufactured by Rolltech (ROLLTECH A/S, W. Brüels Vej 20, DK-9800 Hjørring, Demnark). The divider (7) is comprised of 4 mm thick tempered float glass with low emission coating. Between spacers and dividers there is butyl sealing mass as customary used in insulation glasses and windows. On the inner side there is a plate (1) which is composed of insulation glass with intermediate 16 mm spacers, 4 mm tempered glass turned toward panel interior and 8 mm tempered glass turned toward building interior. All glasses were manufactured by local manufacturer Reflex (REFLEX, Gornja Radgona, D.O.O., Pograd 4, 9250 Gornja Radgona, Slovenia, partial assignee of the present application). Across the dividers and inner glasses there is 4 mm of standard polysulphide mass, said mass customary used in insulation glass or windows technology. 

1. Multi-chamber gas-filled building panel comprising: a plurality of essentially planar parallel plates including an outer plate (2) and an inner plate (1), and at least one intermediate plate (4) forming a plurality of gas-filled chambers, a plurality of spacers between the plurality of planar parallel plates, sealing the plurality of gas-filled chambers (8), wherein at least one of the plurality of gas-filled chambers comprises at least one insulation gas filled chamber (3), wherein said at least one of the plurality of gas-filled chambers comprises at least one air-filled chamber (5) said air-filled chamber on at least one side divided by a gas-impermeable divider (7), and further that said air-filled chamber (5) includes at least one opening (6) allowing for pressure equalization while preventing external air circulation, and wherein the at least one insulation gas filled chamber comprises at least two insulation gas filled chambers (3) divided by said at least one intermediate plate (4).
 2. The building panel according to claim 1, wherein the gas-impermeable divider (7) is comprised of float glass.
 3. The building panel according to claim 1, wherein said outer plate (2) and said inner (1) plate are comprised of float glass.
 4. The building panel according to claim 2, wherein the gas-impermeable divider (7) has a thickness less than a thickness of the inner plate (1) and the outer plate (2).
 5. The building panel according to claim 1 wherein the gas-impermeable divider (7) comprises tempered float glass having a thickness of 2 mm to 6 mm.
 6. The building panel according to claim 3, wherein the outer plate (2) and inner plate (1) plate are comprised of glass with a thickness at least 6 mm.
 7. The building panel according to claim 1, wherein the openings (6) comprises holes drilled into at least one spacer (8).
 8. The building panel according to claim 1, wherein said at least one intermediate plate (4) are comprised of a transparent polymer.
 9. The building panel according claim 2, wherein the gas-impermeable divider (7) has a thickness less than a thickness of the inner plate (1) and the outer plate (2).
 10. The building panel according to claim 1 wherein the gas-impermeable divider (7) comprises tempered float glass having a thickness of substantially 4 mm. 